The FIH Hockey Men’s and Women’s World Cup 2026 will introduce a major change to the competition structure, with the traditional quarterfinals eliminated and the top two teams from each of two crossover pools advancing directly to the semi-finals.
Belgium and the Netherlands will jointly host the tournament from August 15 to 30, with the new format making results in the opening pool stage particularly important.
The 16 teams in each competition will initially be divided into four pools of four. From August 15 to 20, every team will play three matches, with the final pool standings determining the composition of the next phase.
The top two teams from Pools A and D will form Pool E, while the leading two sides from Pools B and C will move into Pool F. The third- and fourth-placed teams from Pools A and D will form Pool G, with the corresponding teams from Pools B and C placed in Pool H.
The crossover phase will run from August 21 to 24, with each team playing three more matches. However, the result of the first-phase match between the two teams advancing from the same original pool will be carried forward into the second phase.
That provision gives added significance to every pool match, particularly for teams seeking a place in the semi-finals.
The top two teams from Pools E and F will advance to the last four. The semi-final pairings will see the Pool E winner face the Pool F runner-up, while the Pool F winner will meet the Pool E runner-up. The remaining teams will compete in classification matches for positions fifth to 16th.
India’s men’s team has been placed in Pool D alongside England, Pakistan and Wales. The Indian women’s team will also compete in Pool D, alongside China, England and South Africa.
Indian women’s chief coach Sjoerd Marijne said he would have preferred the traditional quarterfinal system but acknowledged that his team would have to adapt to the new format.
“It’s an interesting schedule, but my preference is to have quarterfinals in a tournament format. I understand that for higher-ranked teams in the world they will prefer this, but I think quarterfinal matches are among the most exciting matches in a tournament,” Marijne said.
He added that the team would focus on exploiting the opportunities presented by the revised structure.
India men’s coach Craig Fulton underlined the importance of starting strongly, particularly because the head-to-head result from the opening phase between teams progressing from the same pool will carry forward.
“The emphasis on the pool games is really, really important, because it’s obviously the top two that go through,” Fulton said.
He also stressed the importance of goal difference, which could become decisive in a tightly contested group.
“We really have to manage our goal difference well,” Fulton said, explaining that the team finishing top of a pool would first be determined by wins and then by goal difference if required.
Following the crossover stage, the semi-finals and classification matches will be played on August 27 and 28.
The women’s World Cup will conclude in the Netherlands on August 29, with the bronze-medal match followed by the final. The men’s tournament will conclude in Belgium on August 30 with its bronze-medal match and final.
With no quarterfinal safety net, consistency across both preliminary phases will be central to the title ambitions of the participating teams. A strong opening pool campaign could provide a significant advantage when the competition enters its decisive crossover stage.